Neutral wire clamps and the like



Jan. 16, 1962 N. c. HUSTED 3,017,600

NEUTRAL WIRE CLAMPS AND THE LIKE Filed June l2, 1959 INVENTOR Norris C Hu sied United States Patent O 3,017,600 NEUTRAL WIRE CLAMPS AND THE LIKE Norris C. Husted, R.D. 1, Gibsona, Pa. Filed June 12, 1959, Ser.,N0. 820,036

5 Claims.V (Cl. 339-149) This invention relates to a neutral wire clamp and the like and particularly to a supporting clamp providing a ground wire take-ofi from a neutral conductor.

There has been a great need for a simple wire support or clamp capableof tightly engaging a conductor of various sizes with a provision for taking a ground wire from either side of the 'support as well as preventing a bolt head in the .support fromfrotation. Various types of cable tap connectors and clamps have been heretofore proposed. They are, however, generally characterized by a multiplicity offseparate parts which must be assembled over the'cable and the drop Wire such asa ground wire. The present invention overcomes this `problem and provides a single unitary construction capable of receiving various sizes lof conductor and drop wire and, atthe same time, preventing the fastener supporting bolt head from rotating.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, I providev an electrical conductor. clamp comprising a generally vrectangular member, a transverse slot in said member forming a generally U-shaped opening, a passageway spaced from and parallel to the bottom of said U-shaped opening and adapted to receive a wire, clamp means in the member communicating with said passage to reduce the opening therein for engaging various size wire in said passage in clamp-ing engagement, a reduced portion on one of lthe legs of said U-shaped member adjacent the passageway creating a zone of resilience whereby one leg of the U-shaped member is free to move toward the other,

, a passageway through the member transverse to the U- shaped opening adapted to receive a bolt and an abutment means on the member extending to a point adjacent said opening to engage a bolt head to prevent rotation.

While I have set lout certain objects, advantages and purposes of my invention in the foregoing generaldescription, other objects, advantages and purposes will be apparent from a consideration of the foregoing disclosure and the accompanying 4drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment o-f my clamp;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of my clamp;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the embodiment shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the second embodiment of my invention; and

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of the embodiment of FIGURE 4. V

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a neutral wire clamp according to my invention comprising a body portion having two upstanding legs 11 and 12, form ing between them a U-shaped opening 13 adapted to receive a main conductor 14. Spaced from` the bottom of opening 13 is a passageway 15 parallel tothe bottom of opening 13 adapted to receive the end of a ground wire 16. A Set screw 17 is threaded in an opening 18 trans verse to passage so as to clampingly engage the end of wire 16. An abutment portion 19 is fixed to one side of the body 10l and Vis separated from the' leg 12 by a slot or passage 20. Bolt holes 21 and 22 in legs 12l and 11 respectively are adapted to receive a bo-lt23 passing transversely above wire 14. Abutment 19 `is designed `to engage the head 24 of the bolt 23 so as tofpreventit from turning when the nut 25 on the opposite end of the bolt is turned and tightened. The bolt-23 is long enough to pass entirely through a supporting pole 26V and to pass .p

. 3,017,600 Patented Jan. 16, 1962l ice through the legs 11 and y12 and receive a nut 25 on the end. When. the nut 25 is tightened, the leg 12 tends to wrap around the conductor 14 grasping it in a clamping arrangement between the legs 11 and 12. l

' In lthe embodiment shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, I provide a body portion 30 having a pair of legs 31 and 32 forming betweenthem a U-shaped opening 33 adapted to receive a conductor 34. A passage 35 passes through the body 30 parallel to the bottom of the opening 33 and is connected therewith through a slot 36. A set screw 37 clampingly engages a wire 38 in passage 3S. An abutment y40 is formed on the leg 32. Openings 41 and 42 in legs 31 and`32 are adapted to receive a bolt 44 corresponding to the bolt 23'of the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3. The bolt head 45 'is adapted to be engaged by the abutment 40 to hold it against turning. When a nut is tightened on thebolt 44 and leg 32 is drawn toward the leg 31 grasping the conductor 34 in a clamping arrangement.

A plastic cover 50 having an inner well corresponding in shape to that of the body portion and legs of the clamp is provided to cover the clamp and insulate the junction formed by it. An inner lug 51 on the cover is adapted to be engaged between the legs 11 and 12 or 31 and 32 and the cover slidably to fit over the clamp. The cover will remain in position by reason of its own weight and manner of suspension although frictional engagement may be provided between its sidewall 52 and the edges of the legs 31 a-nd 32. In addition, the remaining conductors 53 and S4 of a three wire system such as Triplex will hold the cover tightly in place as they are in turn held away and insulated from the clamp itself.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that this invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. An electrical conductor clamp comprising a body portion, a pair of side-byside legs extending from said body portion forming between them a generally parallel sided U-shaped slot to pass over the body of a conductor, said body porti-on having a passage spaced from and generally parallel to the bottom of said slot and adapted to receive an end of wire, clamping means in the body adapted to enter the passageway to clampingly engage the wire, a slot in the body portion adjacent the base of one of the legs creating a zone of resilience whereby said one leg may bend towards the other, said legs having openings spaced from the bottom of the slot to receive a clamping bolt, a clamping bolt in said openingsl and an abutment on the body portion adjacent' the opening in one of the legs and engaging the head of the bolt therein.

2.`An electrical conductor clamp comprising a body portion, a pair of side-byside legs on the body portion forming between them a generally parallel sided U-shaped slot to pass over the body of a conductor, said body portion having a passage spaced from andv generally parallel to the bottom of said slot and adapted to receive an end of a wire, clamping means in the body adapted to enter the passageway to clampinghl engage the wire, a slot in the body portion between the base of the legs and connecting the bottom of the slot and the passageway creating a zone of resi-lience whereby one of the legs may bend towards the other, said legs having openings spaced from the bottom of the slot to receive a clamping bolt, a clamping bolt in said openings and adapted to pass through a supporting pole whereby to fix said clamp and conductors on said pole, and an abutment onthe body portion adjacent the opening in one of the legs and engaging the head ofthe bolt therein.

3. An electrical conductor clamp comprising a body portion, a pair of side-by-side legs on the body portion forming between them a generally parallel sided U-shaped slot to pass over the body of a conductor, said body portion having a passage spaced lfrom and generally paral-v lel to the bottom of said slot and adapted to receive an end of a wire, clamping means in the bodyadapted to enter the passageway to clampingly engage the wire, a slot in the body portion forming an external tongue extending along the base of one of the legs creating a zone of resilience whereby one `of the legs may bend towards the other, said legs having openings spaced from the bottom of the slot to receive a clamping bolt and a clamping bolt in said openings, said tongue extending to a point adjacent the opening in said one leg and engaging the head of the bolt therein.

4. An electrical conductor clamp comprising generally a rectangular body portion, a pair of substantially parallel legs extending from said body portion forming between them a generally parallel sided U-s-haped slot to pass `over the body of fa conductor, said body portion having a passage spaced from and generally parallel to the bottom of said slot adapted to receive an end of a wire, clamping means in the body adapted to enter the passageway to clampingly engage the wire, a slot in the body portion adjacent the base Iof one of the legs creating a zone of resilience whereby one of the legs may bend towards the other, said legs'liaving openings spaced from the bottom of theslotto receive a clamp-ing bolt,` a. clamping bolt in said openings, an abutment on the body portion adjacent the opening in one of the legs andl engaging the head of the bolt therein, said body portion being rounded from the abutmenty to form a smooth arcuate surface and cover means engaging the legs and surrounding the bolt head the slot and the arcuate surface.

5. A clamp as claimedin claim 4 wherein the cover is plastic and is provided with a tongue slidably engaging between the legs and covering the clamp in frictional engagement.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 14, 1956 

